Extruded, multi-portioned butter products and system and methods of producing same

ABSTRACT

An extruded butter stick product includes a plurality of pre-defined portions successively connected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by a connecting bridge, each bridge comprising a height that is at least 15% and up to 50% of the total height of the butter stick. Sidewalls of the successively connected portions define at least one trough leading to the bridge. Sidewalls may provide a surface for gripping one of the portions, and a bridge may define a fulcrum for breaking a portion from the butter stick such that each portion of the butter stick can be individually separated from the butter stick at the bridge. Alternatively, sidewalls and the connecting bridge may provide a guide for cutting the pre-defined portions. The butter sticks may be produced by an extruder and/or an extruder die defining an aperture with teeth for defining the troughs and connecting bridges in the butter stick.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Implementations are directed to extruded, multi-portioned butterproducts and systems and methods of their production. More particularly,implementations provide multi-portioned butter sticks configured with aplurality of integrally connected portions adapted to be separatedindividually by hand or by cutting along a pre-defined portion of thebutter stick.

BACKGROUND

Butter preparation methods represent some of the oldest techniques forutilizing fat components found in milk. Butter manufacture has beenaccomplished in one form or another for over 4500 years. Over thecenturies, butter has been used in sacrificial worship ceremonies, formedicinal and cosmetic purposes, and as a human food.

Today, a wide variety of butter products are available, ranging fromtraditional butter, reduced fat butter and margarine, to compound butter(i.e., honey butter, cinnamon sugar butter, garlic butter and others).While the diversity of butter products has expanded considerably, theform of butter, namely in a butter stick has not changed. Mostrecognizably, the butter stick, wrapped in wax-coated paper wrap,remains one of the most common forms of butter sold to consumers. Assuch, the stick shape serves as an identifier of the product itself.

Provided herein are improved products and methods of extruding buttersticks having a plurality of pre-defined portions.

SUMMARY

According to certain implementations, an extruded butter stick productincludes a plurality of pre-defined portions, each of the plurality ofportions successively connected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by aconnecting bridge. Each connecting bridge includes a height that is atleast 15% and up to 50% of the total height of the butter stick.Sidewalls of the successively connected portions define at least onetrough leading to the connecting bridge, the sidewalls providing asurface for gripping one of the portions and the connecting bridgedefining a fulcrum for breaking a portion from the butter stick suchthat each portion of the butter stick can be individually separated fromthe butter stick at the connecting bridge.

In certain implementations and alternatives, each of the plurality ofportions are equally weighted relative to one another. The portions mayeach weigh about 0.5 ounces, about 1.0 ounce, or about 2.0 ounces. Thebutter stick may include at least three portions, and at least two ofthe portions may have a shape that is the same relative to the other.The butter stick may include at least four portions. Each connectingbridge successively connecting the portions may have a height that isthe same. The at least one trough may define an angle of about 25 toabout 90 degrees. In some implementations, at least two of the pluralityof portions has a shape that is the same. Each connecting bridgesuccessively connecting the portions may have a height that is the same,or the connecting bridges successively connecting the portions may havea variable height with respect to each other. In some implementations,the at least one trough defines an angle of about 25 to about 90degrees. The at least one trough may comprise an upper trough and alower trough.

In other implementations, a method of extruding a butter stick involvesfeeding butter into an extruder, the extruder comprising a die, the diedefining an extrusion aperture for producing a butter extrudate having aplurality of portions successively connected lengthwise to an adjacentportion by a connecting bridge, each connecting bridge comprising aheight that is at least 15% and up to 50% of the total height of thebutter stick, where the die opening comprises teeth that definesidewalls of the successively connected portions, the sidewalls definingat least one trough between each portion; and cutting the extrudate toform the extruded butter stick product having a plurality of portions,where each connecting bridge of the butter stick product defines afulcrum for breaking a portion from the butter stick such that eachportion of the butter stick can be individually separated from thebutter stick.

In certain implementations and alternatives, the teeth define a pointhaving an angle of about 25 to about 90 degrees.

In further implementations, an extruded butter stick product includes aplurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions successivelyconnected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by a connecting bridge, eachconnecting bridge comprising a height that is at least 50% and up to 90%of the total height of the butter stick, where sidewalls of thesuccessively connected portions define at least one trough leading tothe connecting bridge, the trough providing guide for cutting the butterstick between two successively connected portions such that a portion ofthe butter stick can be individually cut from the butter stick at theconnecting bridge.

In certain implementations and alternatives, each of the plurality ofportions are equally weighted relative to one another. The butter stickmay include at least two portions. The at least one trough may define anangle of about 25 to about 90 degrees. The at least one trough maycomprise an upper trough and a lower trough.

In yet further implementations, method of extruding a butter stickinvolves feeding butter into an extruder, the extruder comprising a die,the die defining a die opening for producing a butter extrudate having aplurality of portions successively connected lengthwise to an adjacentportion by a connecting bridge, each connecting bridge comprising aheight that is at least 20% and up to 90% of the total height of thebutter stick, where the die opening comprises teeth that definesidewalls of the successively connected portions, the sidewalls definingat least one trough between each portion; and cutting the extrudate toform the extruded butter stick product having a plurality of portions,where sidewalls of the successively connected portions define at leastone trough leading to the connecting bridge, the trough providing guidefor cutting the butter stick between two successively connected portionssuch that a portion of the butter stick can be individually cut from thebutter stick at a connecting bridge.

Further still, certain implementations provide an extruder dieconfigured to form a butter stick having a plurality of pre-definedportions. The extruder die including an extrusion aperture defined inthe extrusion die, the extrusion aperture comprising teeth extendingfrom at least one side of the extrusion aperture towards a middleportion of the extrusion aperture such that extruding butter through theaperture causes butter extrudate to be formed into a stick shape havinga plurality of successively connected portions, each of the portionscomprising sidewalls defined by the teeth, and where a free distal endof each tooth defines a trough in the butter stick, thereby providingextruded butter having the plurality of pre-defined portions separatedby the trough.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-11 depict extruder dies 10-50 configured to extrudemulti-portioned butter sticks according to implementations of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-2 B depict an extrusion systems configured with the extruderdie 10.

FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate embodiments of a multi-portioned butter stick300, 305 according to implementations of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate embodiments of a multi-portioned butter stick400, 405 according to implementations of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Despite the popularity of butter sticks, Applicant realized thatapproaches to providing multi-portioned butter sticks configured withpre-defined, individually separable portions can provide consumers witha superior product.

Butter sticks are offered in several different sizes, but these sticksare typically shaped in like an elongated block or brick. For example,butter sticks were predominantly sold as rectangular blocks of nearlyequal length and height and a width of about 60 mm or 120 mm dependingon whether the stick is a half-stick (e.g., 4 tablespoons) or a wholestick (e.g., 8 tablespoons). Consistently-sized butter sticks arecommonly produced by dosing malleable butter at a specific temperatureinto pre-formed rectangular cells lined with a film used to wrap thebutter. The films are then folded, but not sealed, around the dosedbutter, resulting in fully wrapped butter sticks. This traditionalmethod of processing and packaging butter lacks flexibility and isvulnerable to small variations in butter temperature. For example,butter cannot be dosed into the pre-formed cells if it is too cold, andexcessively warm butter leads to smearing. Even butter formed at propertemperatures needs to be immediately placed into cartons to avoid losingits stick shape. In addition, the pre-formed rectangular cells cannot bemodified, resulting in a lack of design flexibility for butter sticks.

Butter pads, e.g., individual butter servings that are commonlyindividually wrapped, are also produced by dosing malleable butter, asdescribed herein. In one approach, the butter pads can be adheredtogether post-production in order to form a butter stick having a numberof individual butter servings that can be individually separated at thepoint where the pads were previously adhered together.

Incompatibility with the constraints imposed by the formation andpackaging process results in waste. Improved methods of forming butterproducts is therefore desirable to for instance increase manufacturingefficiency and flexibility.

Applicant's discovery of an improved extruded butter product is thesurprising result of experimenting with various manufacturing processesand introducing substantial modifications thereto. Extruded butter hascontinued to take the form of a stick shape in the form of an elongatedblock or brick.

Provided herein are extruded butter sticks having a plurality ofpre-defined portions that are individually separable. Themulti-portioned butter sticks are formed by an extrusion die configuredto extrude the butter stick in a single mass with individually definedportions connected to one another by a bridge. The portions aresuccessively connected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by this bridge.The portions may be substantially equal in weight relative to oneanother. Sidewalls of the successively connected portions define atleast one trough leading to the bridge. The sidewalls provide a surfacefor gripping one of the butter portions, and the bridge define a fulcrumfor breaking a portion from the butter stick such that each portion ofthe butter stick can be individually separated from the butter stick ata connecting bridge.

Extruder Die

An extruder die 10 of the present disclosure is illustrated in FIGS.1A-1E. FIGS. 1F-1I depict other extruder dies 20-50 of the presentdisclosure. Turning to FIGS. 1A-1B, these figures illustrate isometricviews of the extruder die 10 configured to extrude butter sticks havinga plurality of prismatically shaped pre-defined portions that areindividually separable. FIG. 1C illustrates a side view, FIG. 1Dillustrates a bottom view, and FIG. 1E illustrates another side view ofthe extruder die 10. The extruder die 10 includes an extrusion aperture110, teeth 120, an extrusion plate 130, a material infill channel 140,and a mounting interface 150.

The extruder die 10 includes a body configured to be received by at adistal end of an extrusion system such as the extrusion system 200 ofFIGS. 2A-2B. The mounting interface 150 of the extruder die 10facilitates securing the extruder die 10 to the extrusion system. Thebody of the extruder die may be cylindrically shaped and include amaterial ingress at the material infill channel 140 and a materialegress at the extrusion aperture 110. Between the ingress and egress,the interior of the extruder die body has a hollow configurationenabling butter to be extruded therethrough. As the interior of theextruder die body progresses from the infill channel 140 towards theextrusion aperture 110, the interior walls taper. This tapered regiondirects butter from a larger cross-section at a proximal end of thematerial infill channel, e.g., circular cross-section, to the desiredfinal cross-section that provides the multi-portioned butter stick ofthe present disclosure. Narrowing from a larger cross-section to thefinal cross-section enables butter to fill the final cross-section forexample to prevent voids in the butter and manages shear stressdistribution through the butter. In some implementations, a gradualtaper angle may provide less shear stress differences through thecross-section of the interior of the extruder die.

The final cross-section of the material infill channel 140 has the sameshape as the extrusion aperture 110. The length of the finalcross-section, referred to as a landing length, is a non-tapered,prismatically extending portion of the die. The landing length of thematerial infill channel 140 provides some relaxation time for the butterafter undergoing compression in the tapered region. In someimplementations the landing length of the die may extend along about 30to about 60 percent of the length of the material infill channel 140 ofthe extruder die 10. A longer landing length may facilitate the butterincreasing its firmness prior to extrusion.

The extrusion aperture 110 is responsible for providing a pre-definedshape to the multi-portioned butter sticks, e.g., butter sticks 300, 305described herein in connection with FIGS. 3A-3B and butter sticks 400,405 described herein in connection with FIGS. 4A-4B. More particularly,the dimensions of the butter stick are defined by the extruder die byproviding an extrusion aperture 110 that includes a plurality ofsegments 111, 112, 113, 114 separated by teeth 120 defined by theextrusion aperture 110. The teeth 120 form troughs in the butter sticks.In FIG. 1A, the length of the teeth 120 is defined from either the topor bottom of the extrusion aperture 110 and terminate at a middleportion of the extrusion aperture 110. The teeth 120 gradually taper andnarrow to form a tip at this middle portion of the extrusion aperture110. A distance between the opposing teeth 120, or in alternativeimplementations, between a tooth and a wall of the aperture 110, definea bridge and a trough in the butter stick, for instance as described inconnection with FIGS. 3A-3B and FIGS. 4A-4B. A distance between adjacentteeth 120 may be equally spaced, for instance, to provide equal spacingbetween the successively adjacent portions of the butter stick. Wheretwo sets of teeth are provided at a first and second, opposite end, ofthe extrusion aperture 110, the adjacent teeth may be equally spaced atboth ends. The sets of teeth 120 at the opposite ends of the extrusionaperture may be aligned, for instance, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, and adistance between opposing aligned teeth may define a bridge height inthe extruded butter stick.

In some implementations, the teeth 120 extend about 20 percent to 90percent of the total height of the butter stick. For instance where twosets of teeth are provided, one set extending from each of the first andsecond ends of the extrusion aperture 110 as illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1E,the teeth 120 extend about 20 percent to 40 percent of the total heightof the butter stick. These teeth 120 generally oppose each other andform a vertically extending bridge 370 in the multi-portioned butterstick. The teeth 120 may alternatively be offset from one another todefine a bridge 370 extending at an angle. In other implementations, theteeth 120 may extend about 50 to about 90 percent of the total height ofthe butter stick, for instance where one set of teeth extends from oneof the ends of the extrusion aperture 110 to define a trough 375 on oneside of the butter stick. In some implementations, the teeth 120 maytaper to a tip as illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1H. Alternatively, the teeth120 may have an end that is rounded (e.g., semi-circular) or blunt(e.g., squared-off). The configuration of the teeth 120 facilitatesdefining a butter stick configuration having a selected prismatic shape,bridge height, bridge orientation, optionally a bridge length, troughheight, trough orientation, trough length, as well as a shape of thesidewalls defining the trough and optionally the bridge of theindividual portions, described herein. For instance, the trough 375 ofthe butter stick may be rounded, squared-off, or may define a V-shape.

In some implementations, the extrusion aperture 110 may define anaperture width and height that results in extruding a butter stick thatis the same size as a half-stick, i.e., four tablespoons. For instance,the width of the stick may be about 60 mm. +/−4 mm. and the height maybe about 32 mm. +/−2 mm. The shape of the teeth 120 of the extrusionaperture may be configured to provide clear demarcations for specificmeasurements of the portion of butter, e.g., the bridge separating twoindividual portions defines a break-off point for separating one portion(tablespoon) of butter from the butter stick or a cutting point forcutting one pre-defined portion of butter from the butter stick.

FIGS. 1F-1I depict other extruder dies 20-50 of the present disclosureconfigured to extrude butter sticks having a plurality of prismaticallyshaped pre-defined portions that are individually separable. Turning toFIG. 1F, the extruder die 20 is configured to extrude a butter stickhaving two equal portions separated by a trough, where the portions areseparable at the trough by cutting along the bridge. FIG. 1G illustratesan extruder die 30 configured to extrude a butter stick having fourequally weighted portions each separated by a trough, where the portionsare separable by cutting from the bottom of the trough along the bridge.FIG. 1H illustrates an extruder die 40 configured to extrude a butterstick having four equally weighted portions each separated by a trough,where the portions are separable by breaking apart, for instance, byhand at a bridge. The ends of the extrusion aperture 110 defining thewidth of the butter stick have blunt sidewalls. FIG. 1I illustrates andextruder die 50 configured to extrude a butter stick where the portionsare breakable, similar to the extruder die of FIG. 1H, except that thesidewall of the extrusion aperture 110 defining the width of the stickwidens towards the middle portion of the aperture so as to define aprismatically-shaped pre-defined portion at each end of the stick asopposed to a blunt sidewall as with the extruder die of FIG. 11. Theextruder dies 20-50 are configured with the same components as theextruder die 10 and are not repeated.

Butter Extruder

An extrusion system, such as the extrusion systems 200 and 250illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively, may receive the extruderdie 10 of the present disclosure. The extrusion system 200 illustratedin FIG. 2A includes a feeding device 210, an auger advancing system 220,a power unit 230, and a distal end 240 for receiving the extruder die10. The extrusion system 250 in FIG. 2B includes a fill pipe 260, anauger advancing system 220, a power unit 230, a butter chamber 270, anda distal end 240 for receiving the extruder die 10.

Referring to FIG. 2A, butter may be received by the extrusion system 200from a butter transfer line via the feeding device 210, e.g., a fillhopper. The auger advancing system 220 may be configured as a twin screwextruder, which may be a counter-rotating or co-rotating twin system, oras a screw pump. With respect to the twin screw extruder, acounter-rotating system may impart less shear energy into the productthan compared to a co-rotating system. A screw pump may becounter-rotating pump, similar to a twin screw extruder. In someimplementations, the advancing system 220 may be housed in a jacketedbarrel that is configured to be heated or chilled. For instance, ajacketed barrel may be used in connection with either orientation of arotation system. In one example, a co-rotation system may be employedwith a chilled, jacketed barrel in order to offset for heat added fromshear forces generated by the co-rotating system. The extrusion system200 may be powered by the power unit 230, which may include a motor thatpowers the advancing system 220. As the butter moves from the extrusionsystem 200, the butter is worked through the advancing system 220towards the die 10 positioned at the distal end 240 of the extrusionsystem 200. Referring to FIG. 2B, the extrusion system 250 includessimilar components to the extrusion system 200 of FIG. 2A, except thatbutter may be received by the extrusion system 250 by a fill pipe 260,which may have a direct connection with mass flow control from a butterboat., and the auger advancing system 220 may be configured as an augerand a screw pump. An optional butter chamber 260 receives butter fromthe advancing system 220 and is configured to minimize incorporation ofair pockets. Upon being extruded from the extrusion system 200, 250 viathe die 10, the extrudate takes the form the multi-portioned butterstick, which is cut into individual sticks for subsequent packaging,such as flow wrapping as described herein.

Butter Stick

Exemplary butter sticks 300, 305 formed by the extruder die of thepresent disclosure are illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3B, respectively, withlike reference numerals representing the same features. Themulti-portioned butter sticks are formed as a single mass with

With respect to the dimensions of the butter sticks 300, 305 formed bythe extruder die, the width 310 of the butter stick is defined by theelongated portion of extrusion aperture 110 referenced in FIGS. 1A. Thebutter sticks 300, 305 therefore have the same width 310. With respectto the length of the butter sticks 315, 320, the extruded butter is cutinto individual sticks 300, 305 after exiting the die, e.g., any of dies10-50, and the length may differ, for example, based on the selection ofthe distance between cuts to form the individual sticks duringproduction. In FIG. 3A, the butter stick 300 includes a first length315, and in FIG. 3B, the butter stick 305 includes a second length 320,and the first length 315 of the butter stick 300 is longer relative tothe second length 320 of the butter stick 305. With respect to theheight 325 of the butter sticks 300, 305, this is defined by a height ofthe extrusion aperture 110 referenced in FIG. 1A.

The butter sticks 300, 305 each include a plurality of individualportions 330, 335, 340 and 345. In FIGS. 3A-3B, the individual portions330, 335, 340 and 345 share the same prismatic shape and may be equallyweighted. The prismatic shapes facilitate breaking apart an end butterportion from the remainder of the stick as provided herein. In otherembodiments, the individual portions may have one or more differentshapes relative to each other. For instance, a stick with four portionsmay have two end portions that are mirror images of each other, i.e.,having the same shape but reversed, and two middle portions that are thesame shape. In further embodiments, the differently shaped portions mayhave equal weights relative to one another.

The portions 330-345 of the butter sticks 300, 305 include the samewidth 350 and height 355, but have differing lengths 360, 365. The width350 of an individual portion of the butter stick is defined both by alength of the segment that extends along the length of the extrusionaperture as well as the teeth or aperture wall of the extrusion die oneither side of the segment responsible for defining the specific portionof the butter stick. Like the butter stick length 315, 320, the length360, 365 of the individual portion, e.g., portion 340, of the butterstick is defined by cutting the extruded butter into individual sticks.The height 355 of the individual portions of the butter stick is definedby a height of the corresponding segment of the extrusion aperture 110responsible for defining the respective portion.

In FIGS. 3A-3B, the four individual portions are separable at a bridge370 defined by a distance between a trough 375 and are formed by theteeth 120 of the extrusion aperture of FIG. 1. In FIGS. 3A-3B, threebridges connect the four individual portions 330-345 of the sticks 300,305. The bridge 370 is defined in the single mass of butter forming thestick and is a region where the individual portions of the stick are tobe separated from the remainder of the stick. The bridge 370 is acontinuous portion of butter. The bridge may have a shortest heightrelative to the portions 330-345 of the butter stick 300, 305. Adistance between opposing troughs 375 defines a height of the bridge370. In addition to each bridge 370 connecting an adjacent portion, thebridge 370 provides a fulcrum for enabling the individual portion, e.g.,345 to be broken-off from the butter stick, for instance, by hand.

The individual portions 330-345 of the butter stick are spaced apart bytroughs 375 formed by the opposing teeth 120 of the extrusion apertureof the extruder die of FIG. 1. The teeth 120 having a length and heightthat define the dimensions of the facing sidewalls of the butterportions defining the troughs 375. In FIG. 1A, the length of the teeth120 is defined as the teeth 120 extend from the top or bottom of theextrusion aperture 110 and terminate at a middle portion of theextrusion aperture 110. These teeth 120 gradually taper and narrow toform a tip at this middle portion of the extrusion aperture 110.

The bridge 370 and troughs 375 defining the individual portions 330-345and their connection points can include a variety of configurations. Forinstance, the bridge may have a height that is from about 15 percent andup to about 50 percent of the total height of the butter stick, or maybe at least 15 percent and up to 50 percent of the total height of thebutter stick. The height of the bridge 370 may provide a weakerconnection to the butter stick when the bridge height is relativelyshort, and a stronger connection to the butter stick when the bridgeheight is relatively long. In some implementations, the bridge 370 mayinclude a width, for instance, when the teeth 120 have a rounded orblunt end instead of forming a tip as referenced FIG. 1A. The length ofthe bridge 370 may also provide an area for connecting adjacent portionsand for breaking the portion from the butter stick. The troughs 375 maydefine sidewalls 380 on the individual portions 330-345 to provide agripping surface for a user to break apart the a portion by pulling orpushing on a sidewall 380 to force the portion to separate from the restof the stick by breaking, e.g., snapping, the portion's connection atthe bridge 370.

While the bridge 370 and trough 375 in FIGS. 3A-3B are shown asproviding portions 330-345 having the same shape, in alternativeconfigurations, the portions 330-345 may have different configurationsbased on the shape of the extrusion aperture 110 and the teeth 120 ofthe extruder die 10. In some implementations, the butter stick mayinclude bridges 370 having different heights and/or troughs 375 havingdifferent shapes. For instance, the bridges 370 may have differentheights so that one portion may be configured to be broken from thestick first by one bridge 370 having a shorter height relative to asuccessively arranged bridge 370 in the butter stick. The shorter bridge370 may facilitate breaking off the portion with less force compared toa taller bridge 370. The troughs may be shaped differently to providediffering sidewalls 380. In an additional implementation, the portions330-345 of the butter stick may be defined by a trough 375 at one end ofthe butter stick as opposed to at two ends of the stick as shown inFIGS. 3A-3B. In further implementations, the bridge 370 may bepositioned at an end region of the butter stick as an alternative to acentral region as in FIGS. 3A-3B.

In some implementations, the butter stick may have a height and widththat is the same as the profile of a half-stick of butter, i.e., fourtablespoons. The length of the stick may be longer than a half-stick toaccount for a distance between the sidewalls 380 of the individualportions 330-345. The portions may be one tablespoon each. By providingprism-shaped, e.g., diamond-shaped, portions 330-345 in FIGS. 3A-3B,once an individual portion is broken-off, it may then be cut in half toprovide a ½ tablespoon portion.

The multi-portioned butter sticks of the present disclosure enables thebutter stick to be provided in a wrapper free of measurement markings,e.g., tablespoon measurement markings. Additionally, in someimplementations, a consumer can easily break apart an individual portionfrom the stick by hand as opposed to cutting through a marked wrapper,and by providing individual portions having a pre-defined volume ofbutter, the consumer knows the amount of butter being broken-off fromthe butter stick.

The breakable multi-portioned butter sticks may have a width of about56-65 mm (e.g., 58-62 mm, 60 mm, 60-64 mm), a height of about 32 mm(e.g., 28-34 mm), and a variable length depending on the volume ofbutter provided by the stick. For a half stick of butter, equal to fourtablespoons of butter, the length of the butter stick may be about 33mm. The individual portions of the breakable butter sticks have a widthof about 9 to 10 mm and a distance between a top/bottom edge of oneportion to another, e.g., 330 to 335, being about 7 mm, where a troughseparates portions. In some implementations the individual portions areprismatically shaped with a central area of the butter portion beingwider than a top /bottom edge. For instance center line along a width ofthe butter portion may be about 16 mm. The troughs may be wedge-shaped,and may extend to a depth of about 5 to 13 mm, about 7 to 13 mm, about 9to 13 mm, about 10 to 13 mm from a top/bottom portion of the butterstick. A tip defining a separation point of the portions, e.g., thetroughs, may have an angle of about 15 to about 45 degrees, or about a25 degree angle. A bridge may extend along the height of two adjoiningportions by about 6 mm to about 16 mm, about 6 mm to about 10 mm, about6 mm to about 8 mm, or about 6 mm.

In further implementations, multi-portioned butter sticks may provideindividual cutout regions identifying locations for cutting the butterstick portion with a knife as opposed to breaking apart. For instance,FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate embodiments of a butter stick 400, 405according to implementations of the present disclosure. In FIGS. 4A-4B,the butter sticks 400, 405 include a trough 475 that is shallow relativeto the trough 375 of the butter sticks 300, 305 of FIGS. 3A-3B; and abridge 470 that has a height that is longer relative to the bridge 370of these butter sticks 300, 305. For instance, the bridge 470 may spanabout 50 to about 80 percent of a total height of the butter stick 400,405. The trough 475 provides cutout regions that enable a knife to becentered along the trough to allow the butter portion to be cut alongthe bridge 370.

The cuttable multi-portioned butter sticks may have a width of about56-65 mm (e.g., 58-62 mm, 60 mm, 60-64 mm), a height of about 32 mm(e.g., 28-34 mm), and a variable length depending on the volume ofbutter provided by the stick. For a half stick of butter, equal to fourtablespoons of butter, the length of the butter stick may be about 31mm. The individual portions of the cuttable butter sticks have a widthof about 9 to 13 mm and a distance between a top/bottom edge of oneportion to another being about 6 to 7 mm, where a trough separatesportions. In some implementations the individual portions areprismatically shaped with a central area of the butter portion beingwider than a top/bottom edge. For instance center line along a width ofthe butter portion may be about 15 to about 16 mm. The troughs may bewedge-shaped, and may extend to a depth of about 1 to 7 mm, about 2 to 6mm, about 2 to 5 mm, about 2 to 4 mm from a top/bottom portion of thebutter stick. A tip defining a separation point of the portions, e.g.,the troughs, may have an angle of about 45 degrees to 100 degrees, about60 to about 90, or about a 90 degree angle. A bridge may extend alongthe height of two adjoining portions by about 16 mm to about 26 mm,about 16 mm to about 24 mm, about 20 mm to about 24 mm, or about 24 mm.

The cuttable, multi-portioned butter sticks of the present disclosureenables the butter stick to also be provided in a wrapper free ofmeasurement markings, e.g., tablespoon measurement markings. Instead, byproviding individual portions having a pre-defined volume of butter thatare clearly identifiable by location of the troughs, the consumer knowsthe amount of butter being cut from the butter stick.

While the troughs 375, 475 of the butter sticks 300, 400 respectively,are illustrated as having a V-shape, troughs may include a variety ofother configurations including rounded or squared-off, and may have ashape complementary to the extruder teeth of the present disclosure. Insome implementations, the troughs may have an angle of up to 180degrees, such as in the case of a semi-circular trough, e.g., U-shaped,or a squared-off trough, and the sidewalls of adjacent portions of thestick 300, 400, e.g., sidewalls 380, may be substantially parallel toone another. In addition or alternatively, the trough or a portionthereof may define a V-shape with an angle of 10 to 170 degrees, 20 to160 degrees, 30 to 150 degrees, 45 to 125 degrees, 45 to 100 degrees, 45to 90 degrees, 60 to 150 degrees, 60 to 120 degrees, 60 to 90 degrees,90 to 150 degrees, 90 to 120 degrees, or any combination thereof.

Implementations of the present disclosure are more particularlydescribed in the following Examples that are for illustrative purposesonly. Numerous modifications and variations are within the scope of thepresent disclosure as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

To determine the amount of force required to break apart the a portionof butter from the multi-portioned butter stick, the butter sticks wereanalyzed using a force analyzer.

Materials: Multi-portioned butter sticks containing 80 wt % fat, 1.65 wt% salt, 17 wt % moisture, and 1% solids non-fat were tested. The buttersticks were refrigerated at 42° F. until testing. The individualportions of the breakable butter sticks tested had a 31 mm height, 33 mmdepth and 15.5 mm width. A tip defining a separation point of theportions, e.g., the troughs, had a 25 degree angle. From a top side ofthe butter sticks, the portions had a top-to-top distance of 6 mm. +/−5mm. From a top side of the butter sticks, the portions had a top-to-topdistance of 6 mm.

The force analyzer used was a TA-XT2 Texture Analyzer; P/0.5S ½ inchstainless steel ball probe. TA test is configured as a robotic arm witha load cell which accounts for the weight of the arm and the stainlesssteel ball probe.

The testing profile is as follows:

Software: Exponent 6.1.8.0

Testing Sequence: “Return to Start”

Test mode: Compression

Probe: P/0.5S ½ inch stainless ball

Pre-test speed: 10 mm/s

Post-test speed: 10 mm/s

Test speed: 2 mm/s

Distance: 20mm

Trigger type: Force

Trigger Force: 5 g

The test proceeded as follows: Butter was removed from refrigeratoroperating at 42° F. and placed in the testing area. The butter wastested immediately after removing from the refrigerator (e.g., withinabout 30 seconds) and the butter had an approximate temperature of 42°F. Testing was conducted in a room temperature environment,approximately 72 F. Using the return to start profile, the ball woulddescend between two portions of the stick forcing them apart. The ballwas pressed 20 mm into the 31 mm tall product to reliably force aseparation at the bridge adjoining the portions. The peak force, i.e.,the snap or breaking force, was recorded and indicates the magnitude offorce needed to separate the portions. The peak force may be theapproximate maximum amount of force required to separate the butterportions from one another at the bridge. The peak force of each of thesamples tested was recorded and the span was about 1100 to about 3000grams, with an average of about 2040 grams.

The results of the force testing are provided in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Peak Positive Force Batch (g) 1 2101.94 2 2435.909 3 1228.724 43071.809 5 1194.199 6 1736.169 7 1483.068 8 2333.424 9 1204.075 10 2945.453 11  2325.182 12  2425.411 AVERAGE 2040.45 SNAP FORCE (grams):Span of 1194.199-3071.809 forces:

The results of the butter separation test show that the peak force tobreak apart the multi-portioned units of butter averaged about 2040grams. When moved by hand, these portions are removable from the rest ofthe stick by wiggling the portion from the stick, for instance by 1-2small movements, releasing easily with the breakage of a small amount ofproduct connecting each portion.

Additional features of the present invention are disclosed in co-pendingapplication entitled “Butter Products and Methods of Forming andPackaging Same” having U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/440,994, andfiled on Feb. 23, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference for any useful purpose. Portions of theaforementioned patent application are reproduced herein. For instance,some methods accommodate bulk-produced butter at a broader range oftemperatures and firmness levels compared to some approaches, resultingin greater manufacturing flexibility and reduced waste. As providedherein, extrusion processes are utilized to receive large volumes ofbutter in various malleable or semi-solid states and transform them intoeither precisely-shaped butter sticks of consistent size (e.g., length,width and height), weight and density, or butter sticks with a selectedsize (e.g., a selected length, width and/or height). Intense cooling ofthe extruded butter sticks immediately after and/or during extrusionsufficiently hardens the sticks so that they may endure the packagingprocess without compromising their classic stick shape. Flow-wrappingthe final butter sticks in packaging film comprised of patternedadhesives ensures that the butter remains sealed and protected from theabsorption of unwanted particulates. The extruder, cooling device andflow-wrapping device together form an integrated system for packagingbutter sticks. By extruding, cooling and flow-wrapping butter sticks ina continuous or semi-continuous process, the methods herein increasemanufacturing flexibility while minimizing waste, and provide fresh,protected sticks of butter for human consumption.

Butter Stick Compositions

The butter processed and packaged according to the methods herein may beused in applications such as the preparation of frostings, in bakingitems and cooking. The butter may be formed from a starting compositioncomprising about 80 percent fat, 16 percent moisture, as well asprotein, lactose, ash, optionally salt, sugar or other dairy-basedcompositions. In some implementations, the butter may comprise a varietyof components that may include but are not limited to: plastic cream,sweet cream, milk, buttermilk, hydrocolloids (e.g., gums), fats, oils,flavorings, spices, seasonings, and/or emulsifiers. Some embodiments mayinclude blends of butter and oil, each in varying amounts. For example,butter compositions may include an amount of canola oil or olive oil,although other oils may also be included. For instance, a butter productof the methods herein may contain about 85-90 wt % fat blend with about60-70 wt % butter formed of about 80 wt % fat derived from cream that isblended with about 30-40 wt % canola oil formed of 100 wt % oil (fat).In another example, the butter product of the methods herein may containover 90 wt % fat derived from cream, such as brown butter.

In additional or alternative embodiments, reduced-fat butter, low fatbutter and/or butter substitutes, e.g., margarine, may also be processedand packaged according to the methods herein. These products may containfat concentrations of less than 80 weight percent. For instance,reduced-fat butter containing about 60 weight percent milkfat, or less;and low fat butter containing about 10 to about 40 weight percentmilkfat, or less, may also be used in connection with the productionprocesses of the present disclosure.

In some examples, the butter may have a fat content greater than 80weight percent. For instance, some butter compositions, e.g., brownbutter, may include a fat content ranging from about 80 to about 99weight percent, about 90 to about 99 weight percent, about 95 to about98 weight percent, or about 97 to about 98 weight percent fat.

Typically, during the butter manufacturing process, whole milk may beseparated into cream and skim milk. The cream portion (which may be20-40 percent fat) may then be churned to make butter. The butter may besupplemented with additional ingredients, listed above, for flavorand/or preservation.

Extruding the Butter Sticks

An extrusion process may be used to convert unformed batches of inputbutter, often prepared in bulk, into discrete units of butter producthaving defined shapes of much smaller size. The extrusion device usedfor product formation may be a standard extruder used for foodprocessing. In some embodiments, the extruder may be a Vemag® modelextruder. The input butter fill rate of the extruder may vary dependingon the desired output levels, the form of input butter used, and/or thespecific extruder model used.

Various forms of input butter may be used. Bulk volumes of input buttermay comprise freshly-churned butter or blocks weighing, for example,about 40 to about 70 pounds, about 45 to about 65 pounds, about 50 toabout 60 pounds, about 53 to about 57 pounds, or about 54 to about 56pounds.

In some implementations, the butter may be pre-treated prior to additionto the extruder. For example, an auger/stuffer device may be used tobreak apart the butter blocks and/or soften the butter to make itpumpable such that a positive pump of the auger/stuffer is able to pumpthe butter from the device via a 1-2 inch diameter feed pipe, which mayreduce back pressure that could otherwise produce voids in the pumpedbutter. In some examples, the feed pipe may be chilled. Chilling thefeed pipe may bestow additional form or body to the butter, especiallyif the source butter is churned or a is a blended fat containing oil,for instance. The pre-treated, pumped butter exiting the device may fallinto an extruder hopper or infeed apparatus as a substantiallycontinuous rope. As the butter collects in the hopper/infeed apparatus,a softened butter mass may cover and fill the extruder ingress from thehopper/infeed apparatus. It has been discovered that the continuousdelivery of the softened, pumped butter and its orientation within boththe hopper/infeed apparatus and the extruder ingress facilitatespreventing the butter from forming voids during extrusion as well asmaintaining a vacuum within the extruder, which further prevents theformation of voids. This approach to pre-treating the butter is incontrast to adding large butter cubes (e.g., 25 kilograms), or cubesthat have been broken apart, into the hopper, which can result in piecesof butter bridging over the extruder ingress to lose vacuum and formvoids. Micro-fix machinery may also be used to heat the blocks of bulkbutter to a workable temperature and agitate the butter to a malleablestate using a rotating twin-screw. The micro-fix machinery may use acutter-type head that breaks up the butter block and softens the butter.In additional embodiments, shredded butter pieces may be used. Butter inchurned, block, micro-fixed, piped (e.g., pumped), shredded or otherstates may be fed into an extruder for processing to portion and formthe butter into defined shapes, e.g., sticks.

The mechanisms and/or structural components implemented to guide and/orfeed the butter into the extruder may vary. In some embodiments, thestructural components may be formed integrally with the extruder orcoupled thereto. For example, a hopper attached to or formed integrallywith the extruder may receive the input butter and channel it downwardinto a co-rotating, twin-screw positive displacement device. In someexamples, the hopper may be coupled with one or more direct infeedapparatuses configured to feed the butter into the hopper. In operation,an infeed apparatus may serve as an adapter, linking the hopper toseparate butter forming machinery and/or reservoirs such that the butteris fed directly into the hopper and exposure of the butter to theatmosphere outside the extruder and other processing equipment isreduced. In various examples, the infeed apparatus may be coupled withequipment used to make the butter, thereby connecting the butterproduction equipment with the shaping/packaging equipment. In someexamples, the infeed apparatus may be coupled with one or morereservoirs into which unformed butter is deposited. The particularstructural components implemented to facilitate the addition of butterinto the extruder may vary and may depend in some examples on theproximity of the extruder to machinery configured to perform otherprocessing functions. In some implementations, the infeed apparatuscoupled with the hopper may include one or more internal componentsconfigured to reversibly open and close, e.g., by sliding, therebyproviding a mechanism for controlling the timing and/or amount of butterfed into the extruder. In some embodiments, the hopper may be replacedwith an infeed apparatus configured to shuttle the butter into theextruder. Elimination of the hopper may improve cleaning operations, forexample by reducing the total amount of cleaning necessary.Implementation of a direct infeed apparatus, either in addition to orinstead of a hopper, may also maintain and/or modify the butter to anacceptable condition for the extruder.

The temperature of the input butter may vary depending on its physicalstate, i.e., block butter may be significantly cooler, and thus morefirm, than churned or micro-fixed butter. The range of acceptabletemperatures for the input butter used according to the methods hereinmay be broader than the range amenable to pre-existing approaches. Forexample, prior approaches to forming butter into defined shapes, such assticks, often involved dosing highly malleable butter into rigid,pre-defined forming cells. Under this approach, maintaining the butterwithin a narrow temperature range is critical to ensuring that it isproperly dosed into the forming cells. In particular, butter exceedingthe acceptable temperature range may be prone to smearing, and butterfalling below the acceptable range may be too firm for dosing. Each ofthese problems creates inefficiency and waste by forcing manufacturersto pause production and/or discard butter that falls outside the narrowrange of tolerable temperatures. By enabling the utilization of morevarieties of input butter at various temperatures and physical states,the presently disclosed methods therefore reduce the waste that oftenaccompanies pre-existing approaches. In some embodiments, thetemperature of the input butter used according to the methods herein mayrange from about 30° F. to about 80° F., about 35° F. to about 75° F.,about 40° F. to about 70° F., about 40° F. to about 60° F., about 50° F.to about 70° F., or about 50° F. to about 60° F.

After passing through the hopper and/or infeed apparatus, the butter maybe received by a twin-screw positive displacement device, which mayagitate, portion, and urge the butter through the extruder barrel. Thetwin-screw device may also exert a compacting pressure on the butter,eliminating air pockets and compressing the butter to a desired densityand uniform consistency as it is driven through the extruder barrel. Insome examples, the twin-screw device may be customized specifically forbutter processing. For instance, the twin-screw device may beappropriately scaled to a produce smaller butter piece size in order todeliver appropriately-sized butter pieces to the extruder die. Thetwin-screw device may include a spiral-shaped stopper componentconfigured to urge butter from the hopper/infeed apparatus down into athroat portion defined by the extruder, which may be vacuum pressurized.The spiral-shaped stopper may be configured to force butter from thehopper into the vacuum-pressurized portion of the extruder moreeffectively than differently-shaped stopper components, e.g.,spade-shaped stopper components.

To attain a level of malleability suitable for forming the butter intodistinct shapes, the extruder may alter the temperature of the butter tovarying degrees. The extent of the temperature change may depend on thespecific butter composition and/or temperature of the butter uponaddition to the extruder. For example, block butter may require heatingto reduce firmness, while fresh churned butter may require cooling toreach a less pliable state. Additionally, the inclusion of oil with thebutter in a fat blend, especially in high amounts, may necessitatecooling to increase the viscosity of the butter-oil mixture. In someembodiments, the extruder may increase the butter temperature by about0.1° F. to about 10° F., about 0.1° F. to about 5° F., or about 0.1° F.to about 3° F. In other embodiments, the extruder may decrease thebutter temperature by about 0.1° F. to about 10° F., about 0.1° F. toabout 5° F., or about 0.1° F. to about 3° F. After an initial adjustmentin some embodiments, the extruder may maintain the butter at anapproximately constant temperature within the extruder. Attaining andmaintaining an appropriate temperature within the extruder may preventmelting the butter, at high temperatures, or causing water loss from thebutter at low temperatures, and/or creating voids in the butter. Forexample, the range of acceptable butter temperatures within the extrudermay reduce the level of water expulsion that may occur when the screwdevice, under pressure, squeezes water out of the butter duringextrusion, a phenomenon more likely to occur as the temperature of thebutter decreases. In various embodiments, the temperature of the butterwithin the extruder may range from about 20° F. to about 85° F., about25° F. to about 75° F., about 30° F. to about 75° F. , about 35° F. toabout 75° F., about 20° F. to about 30° F., about 20° F. to about 32°F., about 20° F. to about 40° F., about 20° F. to about 50° F., about20° F. to about 60° F., about 45° F. to about 75° F., about 55° F. toabout 75° F., about 60° F. to about 75° F., about 68° F. to about 75°F., about 45° F. to about 60° F., about 45° F. to about 55° F., about45° F. to about 53° F., about 50° F. to about 58° F., about 53° F. toabout 57° F., or about 54° F. to about 56° F.

Once it reaches the end of the extruder barrel, the twin-screw continuesto push the compacted butter until it is forced through a forming die,also referred to as a former, with a defined opening of desireddimensions, effectively shaping the butter into sticks. The length ofthe forming die may vary. In some embodiments, the forming die may beelongated to increase the residence time of the butter within the die.For instance, the egress of the former may have a configuration foreliminating voids or preventing void formation in the butter, with alength that may range from about 4 to about 12 inches, or about 8 toabout 12 inches in examples. The forming die may be maintained at anambient temperature. Alternatively, the forming die may betemperature-controlled. Temperature-controlling the die, such as byapplying heat, may facilitate reducing friction within the die, whereascooling may facilitate forming a more firm extrusion. As it emergesthrough the forming die, the nascent butter may comprise a continuous,rope-like mass of consistent height and width, as defined by the dieopening. The cross-sectional shape of the forming die, and thus thebutter sticks emerging therefrom, may vary. In some embodiments, aforming die defining a cross sectional opening that is wider than tallermay be implemented. Such cross sectional dimensions, i.e., more widethan tall, may be implemented to improve downstream processing of thebutter. For example, sticks which are more wide than tall may cool morerapidly than sticks having other dimensions, e.g., square or more tallthan wide. The sticks may also be more amendable to flow wrapping,especially during the creation of end seals and/or when drawing a vacuumwithin each wrapper to eliminate air pockets. In some examples, a singlebutter stick may be twice as wide as the stick is tall, such as about1.125 inches wide and about 0.625 inches tall. In some embodiments, theheight and width dimensions may be equal. Whether equally or differentlysized, the height and/or width of each butter stick may range from about0.40 to about 1.75 inches, about 0.50 to about 1.65 inches, about 0.95to about 1.55 inches, about 0.50 to about 0.70 inches, about 0.55 toabout 0.65 inches, about 0.9 to about 1.4 inches, or about 1.4 to about1.6 inches. In additional or alternative embodiments, the height and/orwidth dimension of the former may be about 0.625 inches. The dimensionsof the former egress may be decreased to 0.625 inches, for example, toincrease the surface-area-to-volume ratio of each butter stick exitingtherefrom, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of techniques used tocool each butter stick. In some examples, the portion of the diecontacting the butter may be stainless steel.

In some embodiments, multiple butter sticks may be extrudedsimultaneously from the same extruder. According to such embodiments,the forming die may define multiple openings. Once the butter reachesthe end of the extruder barrel, it may be extruded through each openingsimultaneously. In addition or alternatively, a multi-lane extruder maybe used, in which the butter is portioned into multiple lanes within theextruder barrel, and each lane is fed into a separate forming die. Useof a multi-lane extruder may be necessary for achieving an increasedrate of production. The number of concurrently extruded butter sticksmay vary, ranging from about two to about 30, about two to about eight,about two to about six, about two to about four, about 16 to about 28,about 20 to about 26, or about 22 to about 24 butter sticks.Simultaneous extrusion of multiple butter sticks may enable a singleextruder to extrude, for example, about 44,000 butter sticks per hour,although faster or slower rates of extrusion are attainable using themethods and systems described herein. For example, the hourly rate ofbutter stick extrusion may range from less than about 10,000 sticks perhour to greater than 75,000 sticks per hour, or about 10,000 to about75,000 sticks per hour, about 20,000 to about 60,000 sticks per hour, orabout 30,000 to about 50,000 sticks per hour in various embodiments.

In embodiments, the butter may be forced from the extruder at the sameor similar temperature as the butter temperature while inside theextruder. The butter may also be extruded at a temperature range that iswider than the processing temperatures applied to butter during otherformation processes from prior approaches, e.g., dosing in predefinedcells. The broader range of acceptable extrusion temperatures may beattributed, at least in part, to the continuity of the formation processdisclosed herein, the time intervals between discrete processing steps,and/or the parameters, e.g., compacting pressures and/or temperatures,of each processing step. For instance, by immediately and/or drasticallycooling the butter after extrusion, the butter may be extruded atgreater temperatures than might otherwise be possible for producingbutter products having a defined shape, e.g., a stick. In some examples,the wider temperature range may also increase butter throughput byreducing the time that may otherwise be necessary to adjust thetemperature of the butter to a workable level for processing. In someexamples, the butter temperature upon extrusion at the forming die maybe at least about 50° F., a temperature which has been discovered to bemore conducive to void-free butter extrusion. In other examples, such asthose involving butter-oil mixtures, the butter temperature uponextrusion may be at least about 25° F. to ensure that the nascent buttermaintains the form defined by the die. In still other examples, such asthose involving high-fat content butter compositions, e.g., brown butterhaving a fat content of about 95 to about 98 weight percent, the buttertemperature upon extrusion may be at least about 70° F. Embodimentsinvolving butter-oil mixtures that also have a high fat content maystill necessitate relatively low extrusion temperatures, e.g. about 25°F. to about 40° F., to account for the fluidity imparted on the butterby the oil, which may have a greater impact on malleability of thebutter than its total fat content. In various embodiments, thetemperature of the butter upon extrusion at the forming die may rangefrom about 20° F. to about 85° F., about 25° F. to about 75° F., about20° F. to about 32° F., about 25° F. to about 32° F., about 26° F. toabout 30° F., about 20° F. to about 40° F., about 20° F. to about 50°F., about 20° F. to about 60° F., about 30° F. to about 75° F., about35° F. to about 75° F., about 45° F. to about 75° F., about 50° F. toabout 75° F., about 55° F. to about 75° F., about 60° F. to about 75°F., about 68° F. to about 75° F., about 70° F. to about 85° F., about75° F. to about 85° F., about 80° F. to about 85° F., about 45° F. toabout 60° F., about 50° F. to about 60° F., about 45° F. to about 55°F., about 45° F. to about 53° F., about 50° F. to about 58° F., about53° F. to about 57° F., or about 54° F. to about 56° F. Acceptabletemperatures of the butter at the forming die may vary depending on thegeometry of the butter upon extrusion. Smaller and/or more narrow buttersticks may be extruded at lower temperatures, for example.

In some embodiments, the butter may be maintained as a continuous,rope-like mass for later cutting at predetermined lengths. In otherembodiments, the butter may be sliced at predetermined lengths as itemerges from the extruder die. The length may vary depending on themanufacturer or the specific product. In some embodiments, the buttermay be sliced at a length of about 2.75 to about 5.25 inches, about 2.85to about 5.15 inches, about 2.95 to about 5.05 inches, about 2.9 toabout 3.2 inches, or about 4.7 to about 5.1 inches to form buttersticks. Various cutting techniques and/or devices may be used to slicethe butter at the aforementioned lengths. In some embodiments, a cuttingwire may be implemented to slice the butter in repetitive fashion. Forexample, a single-pass cutting wire may be configured to slice thebutter in an upward direction and a downward direction. In operation,the extruder may extrude butter through the opening defined by theforming die. As the butter emerges from the die, the cutting wire mayslice the butter vertically, extending through the entire width of thebutter stick to form a butter stick end. Depending on the direction ofthe first slice, e.g., up or down, the cutting wire may remain eitherabove or below the butter stick as it continues to emerge from the die.After a selected butter stick length emerges from the die, the cuttingwire may then slice the stick vertically in a direction opposite thefirst slice, again extending through the entire width of the butterstick, thus separating a fully-formed butter stick from the continuousrope of butter passing through the extruder. By making quick,unidirectional slices in the butter as it emerges from the die,single-pass cutting wires may slice the butter at predefined lengthswithout interrupting and/or slowing the operational flow speed of theextruder. In some embodiments, such as those involving the simultaneousextrusion of multiple butter sticks, multiple cutting wires may beutilized such that, for example, each nascent butter stick is sliced bya different wire. In addition or alternatively, ultrasonic and/orwater-knife cutting techniques may be employed to slice the butter. Suchembodiments may reduce deformation of the butter sticks by decreasingthe amount of friction between the cutting device and the butter.

In alternative embodiments, the extruded butter may be formed intovarious shapes by using different die shapes and/or altering thepredetermined lengths at which the extruded butter is sliced. In someexamples, the butter stick length may be adjustable in substantiallyreal time, such that operation of the extruder does not require pausingfor adjustments. Modifications to the butter stick shape and/or size maybe implemented via an external controller, e.g., a computer.

Whether cut at predetermined lengths or still comprised of a continuousmass, the butter may be cooled within the extruder, for instance, withinthe die, and/or as it emerges from the extruder, for instance, prior tothe more intensive cooling processes disclosed herein. In someembodiments, the butter may be cooled as closely as possible to thetarget temperature of the impending cooling step to avoid undesirableconsequences associated with exposing the butter to an immediate,drastic temperature drop. Potential consequences may includedehydration, uneven cooling, and/or superficial cooling.

In some embodiments, one or more markings may be printed directly oneach butter stick after extrusion. For example, food-grade ink may beapplied to one or more locations on the exterior of each butter stick.In some examples, the markings may be measurement markings, e.g.,tablespoon markings. An inkjet printer may be configured to apply suchmarkings in some embodiments. In addition or alternatively, markings maybe de-bossed onto the exterior of each butter stick.

Cooling the Butter Sticks

After compaction in the extruder, the butter may remain too malleableand impressionable to be packaged effectively while still retaining itsdesired shape and dimensions. To increase the firmness of the butter, itmay be subjected to cooling during and/or following extrusion.Consequently, cooling may be performed using the extruder and/or usingmachinery separate from the extruder. For instance, the extruder die, ora portion thereof, may be jacketed and used to cool the compacted butteror another device may be used to cool the extruder die. When a separatecooling device is used, such as a cooling tunnel, the butter may betransferred to the cooling device using a conveyor belt. In embodiments,the use of a conveyor belt to transfer the extruded butter sticks fromthe extruder to the cooling device may allow the butter sticks to betransferred between the two components in a continuous orsemi-continuous manner without the need for manual intervention, e.g.,to organize or transfer the sticks. The length of the conveyor belt mayvary in different embodiments, and may depend on the rate of extrusionand/or the number of butter sticks concurrently extruded from theextruder. For instance, longer conveyor belts, e.g., greater than 20feet, may be appropriate for embodiments involving concurrent extrusionof multiple butter sticks from the same extruder. Depending on thedimensions of the forming die, the width of the conveyor belt may alsovary, ranging from about 30 to about 50 inches, or about 35 to about 45inches in embodiments.

The butter sticks may be cooled chemically and/or mechanically. Chemicalcooling techniques may comprise cryogenically cooling the butter using,for example, liquid nitrogen. In some embodiments, liquid nitrogen maybe applied to a cooling tunnel to cool the butter sticks as they traveldown a conveyor belt housed within the cooling tunnel. Butter stickscooled according to such methods may not directly contact the liquidnitrogen. Instead, liquid nitrogen and nitrogen gas may be used torapidly chill the air within the tunnel, which may be circulated by fansalso positioned within the tunnel. To provide uniform cooling on allsurfaces of the butter sticks, the cooling tunnel may circulatecryogenically-cooled air both above and underneath the sticks. In someembodiments, the conveyor belt may be grated to directly expose thebutter sticks to chilled air circulating underneath. Use of the coolingtunnel may minimize the time needed to cool the butter sticks to thedesired temperature. Retention time within the tunnel may vary dependingon the speed of the conveyor system, the size of the nitrogen tunnel,the density of butter sticks on the conveyor belt and/or the thicknessof the butter sticks. In some embodiments, retention time within thenitrogen cooling tunnel may range from about 0.1 to about 10 minutes. Inspecific embodiments, the dwell time of the sticks in the cooling tunnelmay be about four minutes per stick. The cooling temperatures employedwithin the cooling tunnel may also vary. In some embodiments, thecooling temperature may be inversely related to the dwell time. Forexample, the cooling temperatures may be reduced to accommodate fasterrates of butter stick production, and thus decreased dwell time withinthe cooling device. In various embodiments, the cooling temperatureapplied to the butter may range from about −70° F. to about −140° F.,about −80° F. to about −130° F., about −90° F. to about −120° F., orabout −100° F. to about −110° F.

Mechanical cooling methods may comprise impingement freezing, whichquickly cools the butter by exposing it to cold air at high velocities.The impingement freezer may resemble a tunnel with open or closed ends.Various refrigerants may be used to generate the cold temperatureswithin the freezer, and high-velocity jets positioned with the freezermay be used to inject the cold, fast-moving air. In some embodiments, aconveyor system may be used to move the butter sticks through theimpingement freezer. The high-velocity jets may be positioned aboveand/or below the butter sticks to ensure even cooling. In someembodiments, the conveyor system may be paused as necessary to ensureadequate cooling. Retention time within the impingement freezer may varydepending on the size of the freezer, the speed of the conveyor system,the density of butter sticks on the conveyor belt and/or the thicknessof the butter sticks. In some embodiments, retention time within thefreezer may range from about 0.1 to about 10 minutes.

Cooling temperatures may decrease and/or retention times may increasewith increases in butter thickness. For example, butter sticks that areshort and thick may require more cooling than butter sticks that arelonger but more narrow. Sufficient cooling may be especially importantat the ends of each butter stick, where contact and pressure incidentalto flow-wrapping may be the greatest, for example, during sealing of thewrapper at the stick ends. Accordingly, the stick ends may be cooledduring the cooling process, for example, by increasing the spacingbetween sticks conveyed through the cooling system to accommodategreater air flow at the ends of each stick. Effectively spacing thesticks may be accomplished by using flighted conveyors that maintain aconsistent distance between each butter stick. The flight distance maybe adjusted for butter sticks of different lengths.

The temperature of the butter immediately after cooling may vary. Forexample, in some embodiments the butter may be about 20° F. to about 45°F., about 25° F. to about 35° F., about 35° F. to about 45° F., about37° F. to about 43° F., or about 39° F. to about 41° F. after cooling.In some examples, the butter temperature immediately after cooling mayvary at different positions within each butter stick, such that certainportions of the butter stick are cooler than others. In embodiments,cooler localized temperatures may coincide with greater direct exposureto cooling conditions. For example, the center of each butter stick, notdirectly exposed to cooling conditions during the cooling process, mayremain at an approximately constant temperature during and immediatelyfollowing cooling as it was when it entered the cooling device. In someexamples, an interior temperature near the butter stick center may dropabout 2° F. to about 10° F. during the cooling process, reachingpost-cooling temperatures ranging from about 18° F. to about 73° F.,about 35° F. to about 65° F., about 45° F. to about 55° F., about 47° F.to about 53° F., or about 48° F. to about 51° F. (as measured from adigital temperature probe inserted into the center or core of thestick). The concurrent post-cooling temperature at or near the butterstick exterior portions, which may be directly exposed to coolingconditions during the cooling process, may drop about 45° F. to about100° F., reaching temperatures of about 0° F. to about −10° F., about−2° F. to about −8° F., or about −4° F. to about −6° F. (as measuredusing an Infrared gun). The aforementioned temperature drops may begreater for longer residence times and/or reduced cooling temperatures.

In some examples, the temperature of the butter stick interior, e.g.,core, and the butter stick exterior may equilibrate after active coolingis complete, i.e., after leaving the cooling tunnel or device. Morespecifically, the butter stick exterior may continue to cool the butterstick core even after the cooling process is complete, eventuallyreaching an equilibrated, uniform temperature. The length of timerequired to reach the equilibration temperature may vary in embodiments.For example, a colder butter stick exterior may continue to cool abutter stick core for up to about 10 minutes after leaving the coolingtunnel. In various embodiments, the butter stick temperature may notequilibrate until after flow wrapping. Regardless of the specifictime-to-equilibration, the butter may reach or at least approachfreezing temperatures after leaving the cooling tunnel, such that thebutter requires less storage cooling after flow wrapping. Accordingly,the butter stick cores may reach a transportation-ready temperature in ashorter period of time compared to butter sticks prepared using otherapproaches. The specific equilibration temperature may vary, rangingfrom about 20° F. to about 35° F., about 30° F. to about 45° F., about32° F. to about 42° F., about 34° F. to about 40° F., or about 38° F. toabout 40° F. in some examples.

By cooling the butter to within the aforementioned temperature ranges,the butter sticks reach a firmness level able to withstand the packagingprocess without becoming deformed. The measured firmness of the buttermay vary depending on the temperature of the butter, the specificcomposition of the butter, the thickness of the butter stick, and/or thetime taken to cool it. In some embodiments, vein readings of firmnessmay range from about 250,000 to about 450,000 cps. The butter sticktemperatures corresponding to this firmness range may vary. For example,firmness levels of about 250,000 cps may coincide with buttertemperatures of approximately 45° F., while firmness levels of about450,000 cps may coincide with butter temperatures of about 35° F.Firmness readings between about 250,000 and about 450,000 cps maycoincide with butter temperatures between about 35° F. and about 45° F.Because the interior of each butter stick may remain warmer prior toequilibration, the butter may comprise a cooled crust having elevatedfirmness at the aforementioned vein readings, with the interior portionof the butter remaining in a relatively warmer, softer state. In suchcases, the thickness of the cooled crust may vary, ranging from about0.01 to about 0.74 inches. Alternatively, the thickness of the crustrequired to withstand the packaging process may comprise a percentage ofthe total thickness of the butter stick. For instance, this percentagemay range from about 1% to about 49% of the entire thickness of thebutter stick. In some examples, the cooled crust may have a firmnesslevel of about 450,000 cps, while the interior core may have a firmnesslevel of about 250,000 cps. In still other embodiments, the coolertemperature may permeate the entire thickness of the butter, giving it arelatively uniform firmness level throughout.

Flow-Wrapping the Butter Sticks

While still at a reduced temperature, the cooled butter sticks may betransferred to a horizontal flow-wrapping device for packaging. Aconveyor belt may be used to transfer the butter sticks. In someembodiments, an infeed conveyer belt feeds the cooled butter sticksdirectly into the flow-wrapping device. In some embodiments, theconveyor belt may be flighted to mechanically push the butter sticksthrough the flow-wrapping device. In such cases, the flighted pushersmay be designed to minimize the likelihood of indenting the surface ofeach butter stick that contacts the pusher. In some embodiments, aninfeed apparatus may be coupled with the flow wrapper. In embodiments,the infeed apparatus may be the only structural component traversed bythe butter sticks between the cooling device and the flow wrapper, whilein other embodiments, the infeed apparatus may be positioned between anend of a conveyor belt and the flow wrapper. To reduce friction betweenthe surface of the infeed apparatus and the butter sticks, the infeedapparatus may be dimpled, e.g., a dimpled plate that may be made atleast in part of steel. In some examples, more than one flow wrapperdevice may be implemented. Multiple flow wrappers may be necessary toaccommodate faster rates of butter stick production. For instance,cooled butter sticks may be apportioned into two flow wrappers to avoidback-up and ensure that all butter sticks are wrapped while still at asufficiently low temperature. In addition or alternatively,flow-wrapping devices may include multiple lanes to accommodateincreased numbers of cooled butter sticks.

The butter stick transition time between exiting the cooling device andentering the flow wrapper may vary. Because a short transition time maybe desired, the cooling device may be positioned in close proximity tothe flow wrapper. In some examples, the transition time between the twocomponents may be less than one minute, between about 5 and about 50seconds, about 10 and about 40 seconds, about 15 and about 30 seconds,or about 20 and about 25 seconds. Accordingly, the temperature of eachbutter stick may not equilibrate prior to reaching the flow wrapper.

Flow-wrapping the butter sticks while they remain within a desiredtemperature range ensures that the butter maintains a firmness levelnecessary to withstand the wrapping process. The temperature of thebutter during flow-wrapping may vary. In embodiments, the overalltemperature of the butter sticks may range from about 20° F. to about40° F., about 30° F. to about 50° F., about 35° F. to about 45° F.,about 37° F. to about 43° F., or about 39° F. to about 41° F. during theflow wrapping process. In some examples, the temperature of the exteriorof each stick and the interior may be different at the onset of and/orduring flow wrapping, prior to reaching the equilibration point, suchthat the exterior remains at a reduced temperature relative to theinterior. In particular embodiments, the temperature at or near eachbutter stick exterior during flow wrapping may range from about −10° F.to about 35° F., about −5° F. to about 30° F., about 0° F. to about 25°F., about 5° F. to about 20° F., or about 10° F. to about 15° F.Likewise, the temperature at or near each butter stick core may rangefrom about 25° F. to about 70° F., about 40° F. to about 73° F., about45° F. to about 65° F., about 50° F. to about 60° F., or about 53° F. toabout 57° F. during flow wrapping. In various embodiments, the butterstick core portions may continue to cool while the butter stick exteriorportions continue to warm during the flow wrapping process, bothportions nearing the equilibration point, such that localizedtemperatures at the exterior surfaces and near the core are different atthe onset of flow wrapping and at the completion of flow wrapping.

The flow-wrapping device may comprise a film feed assembly with a filmroll stock loaded onto a roll. The film may comprise a variety ofcomponents, e.g., polypropylene. The film may comprise patternedadhesives that enable sealing of the butter sticks at predefined points.Because butter is prone to the absorption of external aromas andflavors, the patterned adhesives may be positioned along the film so asto prevent the adhesives from contacting the butter. In addition oralternatively, the adhesives may be specially formulated to prevent thetransfer of adhesive flavor to the butter.

As the butter sticks are conveyed through the film feed assembly,packaging film is unwinding from a roll. A forming apparatus guides theunwinding film around the sticks to envelop them. By bringing the twoedges of the film together and compressing the edges along the length ofeach butter stick, the patterned adhesives are aligned and a fin seal isformed. A fin seal is comprised of edges of superimposed films bondedtogether, generating a fin-like protuberance. In implementations, coldseal adhesives may be employed to bind the film edges together withoutapplying heat, further minimizing the likelihood of butter meltingand/or malformation. In such cases, small amounts of pressure may beapplied at the patterned adhesion points for a short amount of dwelltime to fully bind two film surfaces together. In other embodiments,sealing may require a low amount of intermittent heat to bind theadhesives together at points of desired sealing. For example, alocalized temperature increase ranging from about 5° F. to about 15° F.,about 7° F. to about 13° F., or about 9° F. to about 11° F. may benecessary to create a seal. These temperature increases may be increasesfrom ambient temperatures, e.g., about 60° F. to about 90° F.

After fin sealing, the film surrounding each stick may remain connectedto the film roll stock, forming an elongated film tube that containsmultiple, evenly-spaced sticks. To separate the sticks intoindividually-wrapped packages, the film is separated into segments,e.g., by cutting, and may be sealed along the ends of each stick.Mechanical jaws attached to the flow-wrapping device compress the filmnear the edges of each stick, bringing together the adhesives present onopposing surfaces of the film. By compressing the surfaces together fora short dwell time, the film may be sealed at the ends. During creationof each end seal, a vacuum may be applied to remove excess air from theinside of each wrapped stick of butter and/or to remove any air pocketsthat may form within the end seals. The size of the end seals, e.g., thedistance by which the end seals protrude outwardly from the butterstick, may vary in embodiments. In some examples, the flatter the crosssectional shape of the butter stick, the less the end seals protrude. Insome embodiments, cold seal adhesives are also used at this step ofgenerating end seals to avoid the application of heat. The mechanicaljaws may also comprise one or more blades that cut the bonded film atthe midpoint of each seal, effectively separating consecutively-wrappedbutter sticks. Various head space manipulation techniques may also beimplemented to improve secondary packaging operations.

In some embodiments, the film may allow for easy tearing of thepackaging at a point of use. For instance, an oriented film may be usedfor this purpose. In addition, the oriented film may be used to avoiddeformation of the butter sticks upon cutting using various utensils dueto the ability for the film to easily tear. In addition oralternatively, the film may accommodate cutting at specific points alongeach butter stick and/or measuring labels useful for cookingapplications. Some embodiments may comprise peelable and/or re-sealablefilms that can be repeatedly opened and closed to increase ease ofaccess and maintain freshness levels after use.

After flow wrapping is complete, the butter sticks may continue to cool,such that all portions of each stick may equilibrate to or towardsfreezing temperatures. As discussed above, dynamic cooling of the buttersticks after the cooling process is complete may be the result of a coldexterior of each butter stick continuing to cool the butter stick core.Such dynamic cooling may vary with different geometries of the butterstick. For example, equilibration temperatures at or near freezing,e.g., to about 32° F., about 30° F. to about 45° F., about 32° F. toabout 42° F., about 34° F. to about 40° F., or about 38° F. to about 40°F., may be attained for butter sticks having a greater width than heightin some embodiments.

In some embodiments, feedback mechanisms for controlling the rate ofbutter stick output may be used to coordinate the rate of extrusion,cooling and flow-wrapping. Because the extruder, the cooling device andthe flow-wrapping device may be physically connected in one system, suchfeedback control mechanisms may protect against butter clogging and/orbackup by ensuring that each component within the system operates at thesame or similar rate. For instance, feedback mechanisms may involverelaying information about the rate of production and/or function of anyone of the components within the system to one or more other systemcomponents, which then adjust a rate of operation accordingly. In oneexemplary embodiment, the flow-wrapping device may alert the extruder ofa pause in the flow-wrapping process, signaling the extruder totemporarily halt extrusion to avoid build-up of butter sticks within thesystem. In other embodiments, build-up of butter at any point in thesystem may trigger a system-wide shut-down until the problem is resolvedand/or the system is reinitiated.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a method of packaging butter sticks inaccordance with principles of the present disclosure. The example method100 of FIG. 1 shows the steps that may be utilized by the systems and/orapparatuses described herein for extruding, slicing, cooling, andflow-wrapping butter sticks in continuous fashion. In the embodimentshown, the method 100 begins at block 110 by “adding unformed butter toan extruder, wherein the extruder shapes the butter into definedcross-sectional dimensions.” The temperature and composition of thebutter at this stage may vary. For example, the temperature of theunformed butter may range from about 40° F. to about 70° F. In additionor alternatively, the butter may be mixed with one or more oils, e.g.,olive oil or canola oil, such that the mixed composition has a high oilcontent. In addition or alternatively, the fat content of the butter mayvary, ranging from about 80 weight percent up to about 98 weight percentin examples. Variation in the butter properties may necessitatevariation in the extrusion parameters. For example, cooler butter mayrequire warming within the extruder to achieve a sufficient level ofmalleability. By contrast, butter compositions having high oil contentmay require cooling within the extruder and at the point of extrusionsuch that the butter maintains a defined shape upon exiting the formingdie of the extruder.

At block 112, the method 100 involves “cutting the extruded butter at adesired length to form butter sticks.” In some examples, the butter maybe sliced using a thin wire cutter. The desired length may vary and maybe adjustable by an operator inputting extrusion parameters into acontroller communicatively coupled with the extruder. In some examples,the extruded butter may be sliced to form butter sticks ranging fromabout 2.75 to about 5.25 inches in length.

At block 114, the method 100 involves “cooling the butter sticks.” Invarious embodiments, the butter sticks may be cooled to temperaturesranging from about 35° F. to about 45° F. The cooling temperature mayvary to accommodate multiple variables, including the buttercomposition, the rate of butter stick extrusion, and/or the temperatureof the butter sticks upon extrusion. For instance, faster butter stickextrusion rates may necessitate more intense cooling conditions tocompensate for reduced dwell time within an extrusion device.

At block 116, the method 100 further involves “flow-wrapping the cooledbutter sticks within an adhesive film.” In various examples, one or moreflow wrapping devices may be utilized to accommodate faster rates ofbutter stick production. The temperature of the butter sticks upon flowwrapping may range from about 15° F. to about 30° F. in some examples.

In a particular example, a method of packaging butter sticks involvesextruding butter from an extruder at about 35° F. to about 75° F. toform a butter extrusion having a width that is at least about twice aswide as a height of the extrusion (e.g., about 1.125 inches wide andabout 0.625 inches tall). The butter extrusion may be cut to form buttersticks. The butter extrusion or sticks may be cooled in a coolingenvironment having a temperature of about −70° F. to about −140° F. Acore temperature near the butter stick center may drop about 2° F. toabout 10° F. during cooling, while a temperature at the exterior of thebutter may drop by about 45° F. to 100° F. After cooling and prior toflow wrapping, the temperature of the butter begins to equilibrate. Forinstance, the core may have a temperature of about 25° F. to about 73°F., and an exterior of the butter may have a temperature of about 0° F.to about −10° F. During equilibration, the cooled butter is flowwrapped, which involves using an adhesive film to seal the butter withinan interior of the film. During flow wrapping, the temperature of eachbutter stick may range from about −6° F. to about 35° F. at or near theexterior surfaces, and about 40° F. to about 70° F. near the core. Afterflow wrapping, the temperature of the butter may equilibrate to about30° F. to about 45° F. The processes of extruding, cooling and flowwrapping may be continuous as provided herein.

As used herein, the term “about” modifying, for example, the quantity ofa component in a composition, concentration, and ranges thereof,employed in describing the embodiments of the disclosure, refers tovariation in the numerical quantity that can occur, for example, throughtypical measuring and handling procedures used for making compounds,compositions, concentrates or use formulations; through inadvertenterror in these procedures; through differences in the manufacture,source, or purity of starting materials or ingredients used to carry outthe methods, and like proximate considerations. The term “about” alsoencompasses amounts that differ due to aging of a formulation with aparticular initial concentration or mixture, and amounts that differ dueto mixing or processing a formulation with a particular initialconcentration or mixture. Where modified by the term “about” the claimsappended hereto include equivalents to these quantities.

What is claimed is:
 1. An extruded butter stick product comprising aplurality of pre-defined portions, each of the plurality of portionssuccessively connected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by a connectingbridge, each connecting bridge comprising a height that is at least 15%and up to 50% of the total height of the butter stick, wherein sidewallsof the successively connected portions define at least one troughleading to the connecting bridge, the sidewalls providing a surface forgripping one of the portions and the connecting bridge defining afulcrum for breaking a portion from the butter stick such that eachportion of the butter stick can be individually separated from thebutter stick at the connecting bridge.
 2. The product of claim 1,wherein each of the plurality of portions are equally weighted relativeto one another.
 3. The product of claim 2, wherein the portions eachweigh about 0.5 ounces, about 1.0 ounce, or about 2.0 ounces.
 4. Theproduct of claim 2, wherein the butter stick comprises at least threeportions and wherein at least two of the portions have a shape that isthe same relative to the other.
 5. The product of claim 4, wherein thebutter stick comprises at least four portions.
 6. The product of claim4, wherein each connecting bridge successively connecting the portionshas a height that is the same.
 7. The product of claim 4, wherein the atleast one trough defines an angle of about 25 to about 90 degrees. 8.The product of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality ofportions has a shape that is the same.
 9. The product of claim 1,wherein each connecting bridge successively connecting the portions hasa height that is the same.
 10. The product of claim 1, wherein theconnecting bridges successively connecting the portions have a variableheight with respect to each other.
 11. The product of claim 1, whereinthe at least one trough defines an angle of about 25 to about 90degrees.
 12. The product of claim 1, wherein the at least one troughcomprises an upper trough and a lower trough.
 13. A method of extrudinga butter stick, comprising: feeding butter into an extruder, theextruder comprising a die, the die defining an extrusion aperture forproducing a butter extrudate having a plurality of portions successivelyconnected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by a connecting bridge, eachconnecting bridge comprising a height that is at least 15% and up to 50%of the total height of the butter stick, wherein the die openingcomprises teeth that define sidewalls of the successively connectedportions, the sidewalls defining at least one trough between eachportion; and cutting the extrudate to form the extruded butter stickproduct having a plurality of portions, wherein each connecting bridgeof the butter stick product defines a fulcrum for breaking a portionfrom the butter stick such that each portion of the butter stick can beindividually separated from the butter stick.
 14. The method of claim13, wherein the teeth define a point having an angle of about 25 toabout 90 degrees.
 15. An extruded butter stick product comprising aplurality of portions, each of the plurality of portions successivelyconnected lengthwise to an adjacent portion by a connecting bridge, eachconnecting bridge comprising a height that is at least 50% and up to 90%of the total height of the butter stick, wherein sidewalls of thesuccessively connected portions define at least one trough leading tothe connecting bridge, the trough providing guide for cutting the butterstick between two successively connected portions such that a portion ofthe butter stick can be individually cut from the butter stick at theconnecting bridge.
 16. The product of claim 15, wherein each of theplurality of portions are equally weighted relative to one another. 17.The product of claim 16, wherein the butter stick comprises at least twoportions.
 18. The product of claim 17, wherein the at least one troughdefines an angle of about 25 to about 90 degrees.
 19. The product ofclaim 18, wherein the at least one trough comprises an upper trough anda lower trough.
 20. A method of extruding a butter stick, comprising:feeding butter into an extruder, the extruder comprising a die, the diedefining a die opening for producing a butter extrudate having aplurality of portions successively connected lengthwise to an adjacentportion by a connecting bridge, each connecting bridge comprising aheight that is at least 20% and up to 90% of the total height of thebutter stick, wherein the die opening comprises teeth that definesidewalls of the successively connected portions, the sidewalls definingat least one trough between each portion; and cutting the extrudate toform the extruded butter stick product having a plurality of portions,wherein sidewalls of the successively connected portions define at leastone trough leading to the connecting bridge, the trough providing guidefor cutting the butter stick between two successively connected portionssuch that a portion of the butter stick can be individually cut from thebutter stick at a connecting bridge.
 21. An extruder die configured toform a butter stick having a plurality of pre-defined portions, theextruder die comprising: an extrusion aperture defined in the extrusiondie, the extrusion aperture comprising teeth extending from at least oneside of the extrusion aperture towards a middle portion of the extrusionaperture such that extruding butter through the aperture causes butterextrudate to be formed into a stick shape having a plurality ofsuccessively connected portions, each of the portions comprisingsidewalls defined by the teeth, and wherein a free distal end of eachtooth defines a trough in the butter stick, thereby providing extrudedbutter having the plurality of pre-defined portions separated by thetrough.